International Homs Day

In April 18, 2011, something remarkable took place in the city of Homs, that forever changed the face of the uprising.

Civil protestors gathered at the Clock Square, in a peaceful sit-in that ended in bloodshed as Assad security forces opened fire on thousands of unarmed civilians. Today, three years after the Clock Square massacre, and as the old neighborhoods in Homs continue to live under siege, Syrians worldwide commemorated the day that evokes both bitter and sweet memories.

Syrians scattered all over the globe, held banners in support of Homs, and to commemorate its dreadful massacre, as part of the”International Homs Day” campaign, that was launched by activists inside Syria. Through the campaign, activists aim to make April 18, an officiall observed “Day of Homs”. “We will apply a formal request to the UNESCO and the United Nation’s General Assembly, for an official approval,” one of the campaign’s organizers says to SyriaUntold.

Some of the activist behind the Homs Day campaign. Source: The campaign's Facebook page.

In preparation for the campaign, activists created interactive platforms via Facebook, to engage Syrians and people of different nationalities in the event. As a result, people from all over the world organized sit-ins and activities to support the campaign. “There were several sits that we had not planned, and were carried out by voluntary European groups, in Germany, France, Bulgaria and Switzerland,” the activist said.

Homs City, also known as the capital of the Syrian revolution, has given Syrians the hope and steadfastness they needed, to stand tall and carry on when all was lost. Activists thus are determined to turn a horrid day of bloodshed into a celebration of bravery, as a sign of gratitude to this beloved city.

Despite being military par excellence, Turkish presence has been widely welcomed by different segments of Syrian society in Idlib countryside and the Euphrates Shield areas, north of Aleppo. The reason for that being its contribution to improving the living condition of these areas, for the first time since the outbreak of the uprising in 2011.

Changing the ways we communicate with each other is of utmost importance if we consider the weak and fragmented character of Syrian secular opposition circles nowadays. Such a reflection inevitably involves the leading voices articulating these important issues (gender, class, among others) to take their responsibility in elaborating their positions and points of difference and to seek viable alliances and wider solidarity networks

In recent days in Syria, civil society organizations and activists have carried out a number of activities drawing attention to events in Aleppo and as-Suwayda’ as well, including protests in front of a government building in response to the killing of a civilian by the National Defense Forces (NDF) and a rebellion in the city’s central prison.